Washing machine



May 26, 1936. w. K. voss 2,042,242

WASHING MACHINE Filed May 25, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet l May 26, 1936. w 0552,042,242

WASHING MACHINE Filed May 25, 1931 2 Sheets-Sh e et 2 Patented May 26,1936 UNITED STATES i .i'rizi-ri' OFFlCE" 2 Claims.

The present invention relates to washing machines and more in particularto a' novel drive or operating mechanism therefor. Among the objects ofthe present invention is to provide a novel and simplified drivingmechanism for a washing machine. 7

Another object of the invention is the provision of an adjustablemounting for a vertically disposed motor or prime mover whereby theposition of the motor may be shifted to adjust the tension on the beltfor driving the operating mechanism. The present embodiment disclosesand contemplates a simple adjusting device for shifting or changing theposition of the motor whereby to draw more taut or'loosen the tension onthe belt which is driven by the motor and 'drives a pulleyonthe housing.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a compact washingmachine driving and operating mechanism mounted below and suspended fromthe tub whereby to eliminate the platform or other base or mountingadjacent the bottom of the machine so as to provide additional clearancespace below the tub and operating mechanism. I

A general object is to provide a construction of maximum simplicity,'efiiciency, economy and ease of assembly and maintenance, whichembodies few operating parts arranged so as to be readily accessible forinspection, repair or replacement of parts. a

While the invention is susceptible of various modifications andalternative constructions, I have shown in the drawings and will hereindescribe in detail the preferred embodiment, but it is to be understoodthat I do not thereby. intend to limit the invention to the specificform disclosed, but intend to cover all modifications and alternativeconstructions falling within the spirit and scope of the invention asexpressed in the appended claims.

Referring to the drawings:

Figure 1 is a view in perspective of the washing machine.

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view taken on the irregular line 2-2 ofFig. 3.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary vertical cross-sectional for adjusting orshifting the position ofthe motor.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, the embodiment selected toillustrate the invention is shown as comprising a washing machine 5 tubI having a cover or closure 2 and supporting legs 3, l and 5, equallyspaced around thecir'cumference of the tub, and the legs 3 and 5connected to the tub by any suitable means. A wringer mechanism 6 isdisclosed as rotatably mounted upon a sleeve or standard 1 suitablypositioned on a gear housing or casing 8.

This gear housing or casing 8 comprises an 'upper section 9 and a lowersection III, the latter being supported by the leg 4 of the machine.

15 The means for supporting the housing by the leg 4 includes a bracketll provided with 'a pair of ears or flanges I2 adapted to be connectedto the legs by suitable attaching means l3 such as bolts or the like.The'upper section 9 of the housing orcasing B is provided with a tubularboss l4, which'is preferably formed integrally therewith but, of course,may be connected in any suitable manner thereto. This boss is providedwith-an annular flange l5 adapted to seat against and be. connected tothe bottom of the tub I and to an inverted cup-shaped bearing member I5within the tub. For this purpose, the bearing member i6 is provided witha plurality of spaced lugs or bosses I1 adaptedto receive bolts or otherattaching means I'I passing through the annular flange of the boss M,through the bottom of the tub I, and into the lugs or bosses H. Thehearing I6, together with the tubular boss l4,- thus provides anenclosed, watertight. compartment, 35

portions of which are on opposite sides of the tub bottom and are incommunication through an enlarged'aperture l6 provided in said bottom.

A center pole or agitating shaft l8 passes centrally through the bossI4, aperture l6 and bearing l6, and through an upwardly extending sleevel9 threadedly engaged in the upper portion of the bearing I 6.Detachably mounted upon the bearing I6 is a sleeve 20 provided withlongitudinally extending grooves II on opposite sides thereof andextending for substantially the full length of the same. This sleeve 20extends above.- the top of the inner sleeve l8 and is keyed or otherwisesecured tothe shaft or center pole l8 so as to rotate therewith, theinner sleeve I! of course being held stationary on the bearing memberIt. The upper ends of the sleeves l9 and 20 are disposed above thehighest water level thereby to seal the assembly against the escape ofwater from'the tub.

. a socket bearing l8- which preferably is formed integrally with thelower housing section II). Thus, the shaft is supported by the twowidely spaced bearings i5 and i8, respectively, disposed substantialdistances above and beneath the bottom of the tub. A decided advantageis'obtained thereby in that the shaft is rigidly and sturdily supportedand is amply capable of withstanding any lateral stresses appliedthereto in the operation of the machine.

Within the tubular boss H, which encloses and protects the portion ofthe shaft l8 intermediate the tub bottom and the upper gear housingsection 9, is means for preventing the passage of water along the shaftinto the housing. To this end, the upper section 9 within the boss H hasan outstanding circular flange Il thereon deflning the aperture throughwhich the shaft extends into the housing. This flange, together with theI lower portion of the boss, forms an annular, U-

shaped channel N completely surrounding the shaft. The shaft carries adownwardly sloping and outwardly flaring sleeve H arranged with itsperipheral edge overlying the channel N and disposed between the flangeN and the boss H. A small aperture 14 in the boss l4 provides a drainfor water accumulations. Hence, the gear housing is positively sealedagainst the entrance of all condensate, seepage. or other accidentalwater.

A floating dolly or agitator 22 is provided with lugs or projections(not shown) adapted to slidingly engage in the groove 2| in the sleeve20,

F thereby permitting automatic adjustment of the agitator or dolly inaccordance with the quantity of washing fluid in the tub. The dolly isprovided with a handle 23 permitting the same to be manually raised andremoved from the sleeve 20 whenever desired. Blades 24 are provided onthe agitator or dolly for swishing the clothes or material operated uponthrough the cleansing fluid. The present construction of agitator ordolly and the sleeve 20 upon which the same is slidable and by which thedolly or agitator'is operated, is more fully disclosed in my pendingapplication Serial No. 438,334, filed March 24, 1930, now Patent No.1,869,590, granted August 2, 1932.

The means and mechanism for driving the center pole or dolly shaft l8and for oscillating the same, comprises a vertically disposed motor orprime mover 25 provided with a source of current supply 25 and a switch21 conveniently located on the leg 5. The shaft )1 of the motor isextended a substantial distance above the motor and is provided with apulley 29 keyed thereto and rotatable therewith. This pulley, in turn,drives a belt 50, the latter in turn driving a large pulley 3| mountedon a shaft 52 and keyed thereto so as to rotate the same. Alined bosses33 and 34, formed on and extending outwardly of the sections 9 and In ofthe gear housing respectively, provide bearings for the shaft 52.Located within the housing 5 and keyed to the shaft 32, is a pinion 35meshing with and driving a large gear 35 keyed'to a shaft 31 mounted inbearing members 58 and 35 formed similarly to the bearings 35, 54. Thebearing member 55 is arranged to seat within the sleeve I for thewringer drive, and the shaft flextends upwardly through the sleeve 1 toform the drive shaft for the wringer mechanism.

An annular flangeor-boss 40 is eccentrically formed on the gear and isprovided with a sesame plurality of inwardly projecting ears or lugs M(Fig. 4) adapted to receive bolts or thelike 42 provided with washersfor seating and maintaining an eccentric strap 44 around the flange orboss 40. This flange or boss 40 is also provided with a lug 55 (Fig. 2)through which the shaft 31 passes. The eccentric strap 44 isprovidedwith a connecting arm or rod 45 which is attached to a crank arm41 by means of a pivot pin 41. The crank arm 41 is provided with abearing member or sleeve 48 to receive the agitator drive shaft. l5. Thesleeve 45 is rigidly connected with the shaft U by such means as a pin49. The arrangement of these parts is such that, as the gear 56 and theeccentric boss 40 rotate, the strap 44 describes a circular orbit whichmovement, through the rod 45, crank arm 41 and sleeve 45, produces anoscillatory move ment of the shaft l8 to actuate the\dolly. The limit ofthe movement of the crank arm is shown in dotted outline in Fig. 2 ofthe drawings.

The means for adjustablymounting the motor assembly is as follows: Themotor 25 is provided with a base 50 having a rod or pin 5| passingtherethrough and seated within bearings 5i on the base. A bracket member52 (Figs. 1 and 3)- is mounted or formed on the lower section III of thegear housing 8 and is provided with an upper hearing or lug 53 and alower hearing or lug 54, through which the rod or pin 5| passes. Byreason of this construction, it will be readily seen that the motor orprime mover is pivoted and adjustably positioned on the pin ii, thepurpose being to adjust the tension on the belt 30 by' shifting theposition of the motor 25 and its pulley 29. The invention contemplates asimple and efllcient means of adjusting the position of the motor, thesame including a bolt or threaded member 55 (Fig. 5) threadedly engagingin a lug 58 on the lower section ID of the gear housing. The end of thebolt 55 is arranged to engage a part of the motor base 50 at a pointremote from the pivotal axis thereof. By merely adjusting the bolt 55,it is, therefore, possible to swing the motor to adjust the tension ofthe belt 30. A look nut 55 prevents shifting of the member 55 after ithas once been manually adjusted.

From the above description and the disclosure in the drawings, it willbe readily seen that I have provided a novel and eflicient direct drivefor the center pole or shaft i5 which drives the washing machine dollyand the shaft 31 forthe wringer drive. The upper end of the shaft 51carries preferably means for connecting the shaft with the wringermechanism such as'a coupling member 58 having a cut-out 55 adapted toreceive pins or other coupling means on the end of a stub' person of theoperator, a shield 52 (Fig. 3) encompasses the pulleys and belt and isformed on or connected to the upper section 9 of the gear casing orhousing.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a washing machine including a tub and a plurality of supportinglegs; a simplified compact power transmission mechanism embodying incombination an elongated flattened gear the part within said housingengageable for rotating said shalt: means within said housing includinga large rotatable gear having an eccentric boss on one face and aconnecting rod of substantial length in operative engagement at one endwith said eccentric boss and at its other end with said rigid means soas to impart rotational movement to said shait upon rotation of saidgear; a wringer drive shaft arranged ooaxially and rigidy with saidlarge gear whereby the shaft is continuously rotated upon rotation ofthe gear; a motor adjustably mounted on said gear housing on a verticalaxis and having a drive shaft extending upwardly toward the bottom ofsaid tub, a friction pulley and belt drive in a plane between said largegear and the bottom 0! said tub and operatively connecting said motorshaft and said large gear: and means ior adjusting the position of saidmotor relative to said housing to adiust the tension of said belt inorder to insure a uniform transmission of power.

2. In a washing machine including a tub and supporting means therefor, adolly shaft extending vertically below the bottom plane of said.

tub, a vertical wringer shaft on one side of said tub and also extendingbelow the bottom plane of said tub, power transmission mechanismincluding a gear housing rem'ovably supported below said tub with theends of both of said shafts operatively connected with the mechanismwithin the housing, a motor-supporting bracket mounted on said housing,an electric motor having means providing a movable connection with saidbracket, and means including a drive connection between said motor andsaid power transmission mechanism adjustable by movement of said motorrelative to said housing, said motor and power 20 transmission mechanismtogether forming a compact unit adapted to be installedor removed as anentity.

WALTER K. VOSS.

